One thing a Creighton student hears over and over is “get involved,” but it’s easy to forget why that is so important.

Creighton’s NAACP Awareness Week reminds students why getting involved is important. The week is about raising awareness of social justice issues happening both locally and nationally.

Each day had a theme – Monday’s theme was hope, Tuesday’s was Minority Child Sentencing, Wednesday’s was Keeping Politics Out of the Exam Room, Thursday’s was Affirmative Action and Friday’s will be Poverty in Omaha.

NAACP members took a more personal approach to the week, reaching out to students one-by-one. “It’s not as large scale as other events we have had. It’s more of that personal contact with individuals on campus. I stood up in class and announced the week and what day I had and why I chose the topic,” said Analise Harris, Arts & Sciences Junior and President of Creighton’s NAACP.

Sophomore Taja Coleman and Chastinee Nelson, Arts & Sciences sophomore, set up a poster and handed out flyers on the mall on Wednesday for Keeping Politics Out of the Exam Room. The Bush Administration proposed regulations that would allow health providers to refuse care if it would oppose their religious or moral beliefs. Coleman and Nelson spoke out against this and encouraged students to sign a petition online. They thought that it would catch the attention of all the pre-health students on campus. “It’s important to learn about things outside of the Creighton bubble,” Nelson said.

This is just one issue for students to consider as the election approaches. “This is an election year and it’s important to know the issues because after the elections the problems won’t just disappear,” Harris said.

Correy Hammond, the Resident Director of Gallagher Hall, also emphasized the importance of the election. “With everything going on in the world it’s important to be aware of how the election will trickle down to Creighton. All these things will eventually affect us all.”

One controversial issue is Thursday’s theme – affirmative action. “Affirmative action is on the ballot in Nebraska – it’s serious. They’re trying to get rid of state programming for minorities,” Harris said.

“Affirmative action is good and necessary,” Coleman said. “For all minorities, including women, it levels the playing field and gives opportunity to the disadvantaged when they need it. Whether people want to acknowledge it or not, there is discrimination in society.”

By raising awareness, the NAACP hopes to motivate students to take action. “It’s easy to complain and talk about what’s not being done, but if you’re not taking an active role, how can things change,” Hammond said. “There’s so much on campus for students to get their voice heard. Become student leaders so you can impact campus and Omaha.”